Crimping tool



D. C. GINN CRIMPING TOOL Aug. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1961 INVENTOR. DELWIN C. GlNN ATTORNEYS D. c. GINN 3,199,337

CRIMPING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 10, 1965 Filed June 21, 1961 NFZZ INVENTOR. DELWIN c. GINN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,199,337 CPJMPENG TOOL Deiwin C. Ginn, Fiskdale, Mass, assignor to The Linemaster Switch Corporation, Woodstock, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 21, 1961, Ser. No. 118,583 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-416) The present invention relates generally to Crimping tools and is concerned more particularly with an improved power-operated crimping device of the reciprocating die type.

An object of this invention is to provide in a crimping apparatus of the type described, an improved actuating mechanism for the movable die which is sturdy and easily operated and which provides accurate and rapid crimping operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a positive actuating means for the operating die which can be adjusted to obtain a precise operating die stroke which will then be accurately maintained during a large number of crimping operations.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved crimping apparatus which is economical in design and operation and which has a simple arrangement of parts that can be easily assembled or replaced.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view partially in section of a power-operated crimping press embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section view, partially broken away, of the press of FIG. 1 taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG 1;

FIG, 3 is a fragmentary cross section view, partially broken away of the crimping press of FIG. 1 taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG 1; and

FIGS. 41: and 4b are perspective views of an electric terminal before and after crimping, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a terminal crimping press generally designated by the numeral 5, having an outer housing 6 adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured to a work table, not shown, by bolt receiving flanges 7 extending from the side walls (Fig. 3) and the rear wall (Fig. 1). The housing 6 has an access cover 4 on its top surface and extends forwardly to define an operating area in which an operating jaw or die 8 is adapted to move for periodically engaging a stationary die h.

The upper or operating die 8 is secured to the lower end of a cylindrical ram 11 that is longitudinally slideable within an elongated bearing surface 12 for movement in a straight-line path toward and away from the stationary die 9. The lower die 9 acts as an anvil upon which the workpiece is positioned for the crimping operation, and is rigidly supported by a die support 10. For accommodating different sized dies and workpieces used for diiferent crimping operations, the support is adjustable toward and away from the operating die 8 by adjustment screws 13 received within slots 14 in transversely extending flanges on the holder 10. An adjustable thrust bolt 15 having a lock nut 17 is located under the support it to absorb a substantial portion of the impact force $399,337 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 on the die 9 and to firmly locate the support 10 and thereby prevent shearing of the screws 13.

The crimping dies 8, 9 are shown as being adapted for crimping the integral metal collar flanges 20 of an electric terminal 21 and an insulating collar 22 upon the bare wire end of an electrical conductor W (FIGS. 4A and 4B). When the ram 11 and operating die 8 are in the upper or workpiece inserting position, as shown by a broken line indication in FIG. 1, the terminal assembly shown in FIG. 4A is placed upon the stationary die 9 with the coextending flanges 20 and collar 22 disposed within the recess 23 in the lower die face. A similar recess 24 is provided in the operating die face, and when the operating die 8 is directed to engage the stationary die 9, the terminal 21 is crimped into the integral assembly shown in FIG. 4B. The recesses 23 and 24 are, of course, dimensioned so that the crimping action upon the terminal assembly will be suflicient to deform both the integral inner collar flanges 2t) and the outer collar 22 into a flattened configuration without creating excessive forces that will shear or otherwise damage the conductor or the terminal.

For actuation of the ram 11, there is provided a lever 25 that is pivotally mounted on the housing 6 by a pivot pin 26 supported upon bearings 27 (FIG. 3) projecting inwardly from either side wall of the housing 6. Spacer washers 28 interposed between both sides of the actuator lever 25 and the bearings 27 center the lever 25 and prevent its lateral movement.

The ram 11 is pivotally mounted upon the lever 25 by a transverse pivot pin p having retaining snap rings 31. The central portion of the pin p is longitudinally slideable within a slot 26 in the lever 25 to allow for slight relative movement of the pin in the lever during the translation of the oscillatory motion of the lever 25 into the reciprocatory motion of the ram 11.

The forward end of the lever 25 is spring biased upwardly for withdrawing or retracting the ram by a pair of lever springs 30 having their lower ends attached to the ends of a pin 29 extending through the forward end of the lever 25 and their upper ends attached to a pin 35 supported on the housing side wall projections 36.

Identical cams 37 and 38 (FIGS. 1 and 2) having lower cam surfaces C are supported on the pin 35 and a similar pin 39, which like the pin 35, is secured within housing side wall projections 40. There are spacer washers 41 located on opposite sides of the cams 37, 38 and a central spacer plate d2 between the cams to locate the cams on opposite sides of the vertical center plane of the press housing 6.

interposed between the cams 37, 38 and the lever 25 and restraining the latter against its spring bias is a lever actuator or roller assembly 43 which includes outside rollers 44, 45 (FIGS. 2 and 3) having rolling engagement with the cam surfaces C, and a center roller 46 having rolling engagement with the upper edge of the lever 25. The rollers 44, 45 and 46 are mounted for individual rotation on a roller pin 47 that is mounted within the arms of a bifurcated yoke or clevis 48 that is threadedly supported at its neck portion on the end of a piston rod 49. The piston rod extends rearwardly to a pressure cylinder 51 that is pivotally mounted at its rear end by a transverse pin 52. A lock nut 54 adjacent the rear end of the clevis 48 adjustably locks the clevis 4d and piston rod 49 against relative movement.

The crimping press 5 is power operated by air pressure supplied to the cylinder 51 via lines 56 and 61. These lines are connected to opposite ends of the cylinder to operate the piston, not shown, in opposite directions and to an air pressure source (not shown) by a four-way valve 62 which, in the normal or up position, directs pressurized air to the line 61 and connects the line all to exhaust to operate the piston rod 49 and roller assembly 43 rearwardly. A foot treadle, not shown, is connected to a pull rod 63 to actuate the valve lever 64 and depress the spring-biased valve rod 65 downwardly to shift the valve 62 and direct pressurized air to the line 6ft, connect the line 61 to exhaust and thereby drive the piston rod 49 and roller assembly forwardly. When the foot treadle is released, the valve rod 65 is returned to its up or normal position and the roller assembly 43 is returned rear- Wardly.

In operation, the roller arrangement 43 is constantly urged upwardly by the force of the lever springs 30 acting through the lever 25 on the center roller 45. When the roller assembly 43 is driven forwardly from the retracted position shown in phantom in FIG. 1, the outside rollers 44 and 4-5 are cammed downwardly by the cam surfaces C of the fixed cams 37, 38, respectively, and the center roller in turn cams the lever 25 downwardly about its pivot pin 26. The ram 11 and operating die 8 are, therefore, moved downwardly to bring about the crimping engagement with the stationary die 9. The cam surfaces C have forward and rear cam surface portions 32, 33 that have different slopes relative to the upper edge of the lever 25. The slope of the rear cam surface portion 33 is greater than the slope of the cam surface portion 32 and consequently, the ram 11 is directed downwardly at an initially high rate during the period of engagement by the rollers 4-4, 45 with the rear cam surface portions 33; whereas when the rollers 44, 45 engage the forward cam surface portions 32, the ram 11 moves downwardly at a low rate for the crimping operation. During the withdrawal of the piston rod 49, the operating die 8 and the ram 11 are withdrawn by the lever springs 30 at a speed having initially a low rate followed by a high rate.

Threaded Within the forward wall of the upper portion of the housing 6 is an adjustable stop screw 60 aligned with the path of the roller assembly 43 in the plane of the center roller 46. Adjustment of this screw adjusts the maximum travel forwardly of the piston 49 and consequently, adjusts the maximum downward movement or stroke of the ram 11. To accurately control the crimping pressure of the press, the stop 60 is adjusted in conjunction with but normally after an adjustment of the stationary die 9 by the bolts 13 and the thrust stop 15. Adjustment of the stop 60 accurately and minutely controls the die stroke and the crimping pressure since as the operating die 8 approaches the stationary die 9, the downward movement of the ram 11 is much less than the corresponding movement of the roller assembly 43.

It will be seen that the crimping apparatus embodying the present invention is sturdy and reliable and yet easily assembled and disassembled to replace or exchange the dies or cams for different crimping operations. The crimping ram has quick thrust and withdrawal movements to speed up the operation cycle, and its stroke is accurately adjustable for controlling the crimping pressure.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A crimping press comprising; a housing, an operating die reciprocable on the housing for movement between a retracted position and an extended crimping po sition, an elongated lever having a rearward'end thereof pivotally mounted on the housing for oscillation thereon, means operably connecting the operating die to the lever intermediate the ends thereof and reciprocating the operating die between the retracted and extended positions upon pivotal oscillation of the lever, an elongated cam supported in a fixed position on the housing and spaced from said lever adjacent to and forwardly of said connecting means, a spring pivotally urging said lever toward said elongated cam, roller means interposed between the lever and the elongated cam having rolling engagement therealong, and a motor operably connected to said roller means and selectively moving said roller means along the lever and elongated cam between a first position adjacent said connecting means and a second position adjacent the free end of said lever, said roller means upon movement from its first position toward its second position adapted to pivotally move the lever away from the cam means, said elongated cam having a first cam portion having a relatively large slope with the lever and a second portion extending from the first portion having a relatively small slope with the lever whereby the lever is pivotally actuated at a relatively high rate and a relatively low rate as the roller means moves along the said first and second cam portions, respectively.

2. A crimping press comprising; a housing, an operating die movable on the housing between a retracted position and an extended crimping position, an elongated lever having a rearward end thereof pivotally mounted to the housing for oscillation thereon, means operably connecting the operating die to the lever intermediate the ends thereof and moving the operating die between the retracted and extended positions upon pivotal oscillation of the lever, an elongated cam supported in fixed position on the housing, said cam being positioned adjacent to and forwardly of said connecting means and spaced from the lever on the opposite side of the lever from the operating die, spring means urging the lever in a pivotal direction toward the cam means, a roller assembly disposed between the elongated lever and the elongated cam means, said roller assembly comprising a first roller having rolling engagement along the elongated cam and a second roller having rolling engagement along the elongated lever, a motor operably connected to the roller assembly and adapted to move the assembly along the cam and lever, said second roller urging the lever about its pivot in the pivotal direction away from the cam means upon movement of the roller assembly along the cam and lever in one direction, and adjustable stop means limiting movement of the roller assembly along the cam and lever in the said one direction to control the stroke of the operating die.

3. The crimping press die actuating mechanism defined by claim 2 wherein the said elongated cam has first and second cam portions having a relatively large slope and a relatively small slope respectively, the first portion being engaged by the roller assembly during its initial motion in the said one direction and the second portion being engaged by the roller assembly during its final movement in the said one direction.

4. A crimping press comprising; a housing, an operating die, a ram supporting the die and reciprocable within the housing for movement between a retracted position and an extended crimping position, an elongated lever having a rearward end thereof pivotally mounted on the housing for oscillation thereon, means operably connecting the ram to the lever at about the center thereof and reciprocating the ram upon pivotal oscillation of the lever, spaced elongated cams supported in a fixed position on the housing and having cammed surfaces located on opposed sides of the plane of pivotal oscillation of the lever, said elongated cams being located adjacent to and forwardly of said connecting means and being spaced from said lever on the opposite side of said ram, a roller assembly having a first roller adapted to have rolling engagement along an elongated surface on the lever and second rollers spaced on either side of said first roller having rolling engagement along the spaced elongated earns, a fluid pressure operated motor having a piston operably connected to said roller assembly and moving the roller assembly along the lever and the spaced cams, said movement of the roller assembly in a first direction pivotally moving the lever away from the spaced cams, and means moving the lever'toward the cams When the roller assembly moves in a second direction, said elongated cams including first and second cam portions respectively having a relatively larger slope and a relatively smaller slope With respect to the lever elongated surface, the cam portions being positioned so that when the roller assembly moves in the said first direction the said second rollers initially engage the first cam portions and pivot the lever at a first relatively high rate and subsequently engage the second cam portions and pivot the lever at a second relatively low rate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Gillespie 74-110 Harcourt 741 10 Forss 153-1 Fischer 1531 Fischer 74110 Cate 74-110 Dupre.

Fischer 153--1 Fischer 153-1 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CRIMPING PRESS COMPRISING; A HOUSING, AN OPERATING DIE RECIPROCABLE ON THE HOUSING FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION AND AN EXTENDED CRIMPING POSITION, AN ELONGATED LEVER HAVING A REARWARD END THEREOF PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING FOR OSCILLATION THEREON, MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING THE OPERATING DIE TO THE LEVER INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF AND RECIPROCATING THE OPERATING DIE BETWEEN THE RETRACTED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS UPON PIVOTAL OSCILLATION OF THE LEVER, AN ELONGATED CAM SUPPORTED IN A FIXED POSITION ON THE HOUSING AND SPACED FROM SAID LEVER ADJACENT TO AND FORWARDLY OF SAID CONNECTING MEANS, A SPRING PIVOTALLY URGING SAID LEVER TOWARD SAID ELONGATED CAM, ROLLER MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE LEVER AND THE ELONGATED CAM HAVING ROLLING ENGAGEMENT THEREALONG, AND A MOTOR OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLER MEANS AND SELECTIVELY MOVING SAID ROLLER MEANS ALONG THE LEVER AND ELONGATED CAM BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION ADJACENT SAID CONNECTING MEANS AND A SECOND PORISION ADJACENT THE FREE END OF SAID LEVER, SAID ROLLER MEANS UPON MOVEMENT FROM ITS FIRST POSITION TOWARD ITS SECOND POSITION ADAPTED TO PIVOTALLY MOVE THE LEVER AWAY FROM THE CAM MEANS, SAID ELONGATED CAM HAVING A FIRST CAM PORTION HAVING A RELATIVELY LARGE SLOPE WITH THE LEVER AND A SECOND PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE FIRST PORTION HAVING A RELA- 